Gerald “Red” Briggs of Orrington, Maine was recently recognized as the oldest school bus driver in North America by the Maine Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association. Briggs, 90, told the Bangor Daily News that he never sought to break records.
“I wasn’t shooting for being the oldest driver in North America,” Briggs said. “That was never the idea. I just enjoy driving. My wife died a couple of years ago, and it gives me a reason to get up and get out and do things, instead of sitting in a rocking chair and dying a couple years later.”
Briggs is a former teacher and coach, as well as a World War II veteran who was a part of D-Day, or the Allied invasion of Normandy, France in 1944.
For Dana Laughlin, bus dispatcher for Cyr Bus Lines, Briggs’ age is just a number and does not affect his abilities or competence.
“It was his goal to get recertified for this year,” Laughlin said. “And, of course, you have to go through a lot of medical [tests] to pass to get your [federal Department of Transportation] card. He met all the guidelines and made sure all of his paperwork was there at the time it needed to be there.” (Photo: Bangor Daily News)
The FARE Walk for Food Allergy will be taking place this Sunday in the Los Angeles area. The featured speaker will be Jo Frost of “Supernanny” fame, as she is the national ambassador for the cause. Food allergies in children are a concern for student transporters because they need to be trained and prepared to deal with a reaction during a school bus route. Click here to find out more about the cause or to locate an event near you.
Students and parents in West Springfield, Massachusetts were frightened by a bear found sleeping near a school bus stop last week. The bear did not appear to pose a direct threat to the children, but authorities monitored the area until the children boarded the bus.
New York students discovered a homeless man under the bus seats on their way to school yesterday morning. The students notified the driver, who then pulled over and asked the man to get off the bus. The man cooperated.
“My understanding is the Rosendale police are involved in the investigation and I believe they may know who the person is,” said Rondout Valley School District superintendent Rosario Agostaro.
The Hillsborough County School District in Florida has a new head of transportation. The board unanimously approved Jim Beekman, formerly of the Orange County School District transportation department. Prior to that, he was a geometry teacher and football coach. According to Hillsborough facilities chief Chris Farkas, the committees that considered him were impressed with the work he did in Orange County. Beekman’s predecessor resigned last spring amid a series of problems for the transportation department, such asa lawsuit that came after a special needs student was reportedly kicked off a school bus.
